But Alder Hey’s hospital trust argues that Bambino Gesu has a similar belief that care for Alfie should be palliative.

The couple have lost cases in the High Court, Court of Appeal, and had their case rejected by the Supreme Court and European Court of Human Rights.

In a post on Alfie’s Army Official Facebook page, the family thanked supporters but also referred to some negativity and “trolls”.

Alfie Evans legal fight:

9 May 2016: Alfie is born

December 2016: Alfie is first taken to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital after suffering seizures

11 December 2017: Hospital bosses say they are “liaising directly” with the youngster’s family following disagreements over his treatment

19 December: A High Court judge, Mr Justice Hayden, begins overseeing the case. The hospital says continuing life-support treatment would not be in Alfie’s best interests, but his parents disagree and say they want permission to fly him to Italy for treatment

1 February 2018: A hearing begins at the High Court in Liverpool, in which lawyers acting for the hospital claim further treatment for Alfie is unkind and inhumane

2 February: One of Alfie’s doctors tells the judge there is “no hope” for the youngster, who is in a “semi-vegetative state” from a degenerative neurological condition doctors have not been able to definitively identify

28 March: Judges at the European Court of Human Rights reject a bid from Mr Evans and Ms James for them to examine issues relating to Alfie’s future, saying they found no appearance of any human rights violation